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Micro Jet Boat Is a Tiny Yet Exciting Contraption, Goes on Wild Joy Ride

I've just recently started discovering water sports, and some of them are downright addictive. Kayaking seems to be a great way to unwind and work out at the same time, but riding a jet ski is ten times as exhilarating. Of course, there are plenty of other options out there if you're keen to cool down on the water.
Micro Jet Boat on a wild joy ride 26 photos
Photo: Grind Hard Plumbing Co
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You've probably seen at least one project developed by GrindHardPlumbingCo before. Over a year ago, we showed you one of their most ridiculous contraptions: a supercharged Barbie Jeep.

And their work proves that you don't need tons of cash to have fun. You just have to come up with a cool idea and get to work. You can be creative on your own, or you can even draw inspiration from these guys.

Some of their most insane projects over the years include a 2JZ-powered Lawn Mower, several Power Wheels cars with crazy engine swaps, and a rotary drift trike.

But one of their most recent endeavors seems to have attracted a lot of attention from people across the world. Several months ago, the guys posted a video revealing a rather small package from Jetstream Adventure boats.

Micro Jet Boat Is a Tiny Yet Exciting Contraption, Goes on Maiden Joy Ride
Photo: Grind Hard Plumbing Co
You might remember this company as we recently featured a story about a 12' Mini Jet Boat that made use of a Honda K24 engine. That model could comfortably seat two people and looked quite exciting navigating on the lake.

But tiny items seem to have a special power of attraction these days, and so the 6' (1.82-meter) long Micro Jet project began. Seeing it out of the box, you'd think that this is just a toy.

But it might very well be the next step for personal mobility, as this would be an affordable way for people to get into boats and move around lakes, rivers, or the sea coast. "It's an itty bitty 6' jet boat hull, and we're going to put a jet ski engine in it and then tow it around our Barbie Jeep."

The bare hull was light enough for one man to lift it off the ground, and that should give you an idea of the potential it has for going fast.

Micro Jet Boat Is a Tiny Yet Exciting Contraption, Goes on Maiden Joy Ride
Photo: Grind Hard Plumbing Co
Right off the bat, the team started dismantling a Kawasaki Jet Ski they had lying around to use the engine for their new project. In true Grind Hard fashion, a lot of custom fabrication work followed.

After all, building a jet boat is half the fun, right? Test fitting the engine revealed that it was going to be a tight fight for the skipper, but then again, that's nothing new to them considering the Power Wheels experience.

Naturally, they also had to come up with a solution to separate the engine compartment from the occupant of the boat. The remaining space might not seem like a lot, but obviously, this thing isn't meant for long tours.

If there's one thing you'll learn by watching this series is that nothing is impossible. These guys give the phrase "Improvise, adapt, overcome" a whole new meaning as they will find a solution for any obstacle in their path.

Micro Jet Boat Is a Tiny Yet Exciting Contraption, Goes on Maiden Joy Ride
Photo: Grind Hard Plumbing Co
It didn't take long until the Micro Jet Boat went out of the shop for its first real-life test, out on a small pond. The guys used an 18v drill to get it moving, and it wasn't going to set any speed records in that configuration.

But with a custom build like this, you need small victories to lift your morale once in a while. Once they got the steering wheel mounted inside, everything felt even closer to completion.

At that point, another test was due. But they decided to use chainsaw power for some extra-added speed this time. So they dismantled a pocket bike they had previously built to see how well the combo would perform on their tiny test ground.

At this point, we started feeling the temptation to build a project like this ourselves. Can you imagine a racing series on the water with these micro jet boats, with different engine swaps but all limited to 100 or 150 horsepower?

Micro Jet Boat Is a Tiny Yet Exciting Contraption, Goes on Maiden Joy Ride
Photo: Grind Hard Plumbing Co
Building a custom gas tank was up next, and it's a good thing that this boat is quite light. That allows for easy access, even though they're working with a limited amount of space.

With that out of the way, it was time to handle the wiring. This can sometimes be a pain in the neck for project cars, but this is a relatively simpler design overall.

With the Kawasaki Jet Ski engine now up and running, it quickly became clear that the boat had outgrown the little pond and it was time for something bigger. So, after mounting a seat for the captain, the guys loaded up their pride and joy and drove to the lake.

Seeing it up on the roof of their custom-built Tesla pretty much sums it up for these guys: they're all about living wild and free of any constraints. The first test drive is something you have to see with your own eyes, and it will probably have you looking at jet boat racing in New Zealand soon after you're done.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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